There are certain movies that just make you feel good. You can turn on the TV and sit back and relax; they make people smile, laugh, and even cry. A great feel-good movie will be one you can watch over and over again just because it brings you great comfort. While we are constantly being given feel-good movies, for some reason, there’s something about the ’80s that just gives us that warm fuzzy feeling inside (even for those who didn’t live in the time).
Updated: January 2023: To keep this article fresh and relevant by adding more information and entries, this article has been updated by Olivia Martello.
For some, the 1980s brought many of the greatest movies ever made, from top-tier cinematic masterpieces that perfectly captured the era’s best fashion and music tastes, to cheesy flicks that evoke a warmly comforting sense of nostalgia. There’s nothing quite like this era, for better or worse, so let’s take a look at some of the best feel-good movies from the ’80s.
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11 The Breakfast Club (1985)
Universal Pictures
There’s nothing worse than a nine-hour detention on a Saturday. But in The Breakfast Club, these teenagers don’t realize that they will find some comfort and connection to one another despite their differences. It starts out to be a group of kids who have absolutely nothing in common and would do rather anything than sit in the same room as each other, but when they are assigned to write an essay about who they think they are, they are surprised to find out how much they relate to each other when they start chatting.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
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As they pass the long, tedious nine hours by smoking, talking, and listening to music, they begin to open up about their deepest secrets and their relationships with parents. The Breakfast Clubis totally heartwarming but also funny. It became so lovable on the basis that it’s very relatable (in an idealistic, wishful thinking way), and has the boldest ’80s fashion.
10 The Karate Kid (1984)
Columbia Pictures
A classic sports movie, The Karate Kid stars Ralph Macchio as Daniel, a New Jersey teen who faces culture shock and bullying from aggressive karate student Johnny (William Zabka) when he moves to California. To defend himself, he teams up with his building manager, Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) who teaches him karate and leads him to victory against Johnny in a karate tournament. It’s a fun and uplifting sports movie, and if you enjoy it, there are more movies and the Cobra Kai series as well.
9 Ghostbusters (1984)
Ghostbusters became a classic ’80s movie, one that has arguably the most recognizable theme song most people can instantly place. A supernatural comedy where a group of parapsychologists starts a ghost-catching business, these sarcastic dudes become the ones to call all across New York City. With nuclear-powered equipment, they head off to the Sedgewick Hotel when they get a call about a ghost they just can’t wait to check out. With a brilliant cast, great comedy, and one of the most iconic soundtracks, it’s a movie that we always go back to on rainy days, low moments, or whenever it’s on TV.
8 Big (1988)
20th Century Fox
A spin on a body-twist movie, Big stars Tom Hanks as Josh, a kid who becomes an adult after wishing on a Zoltar fortune-telling machine. Unable to go home in his now-adult body, he heads to New York and gets a job at a toy company, where he succeeds with his inner child. However, he finds the demands of adult life taking away the joy of being a kid, and wishes to be twelve again. The piano scene is pure joy, and stands out among the other fun scenes in this movie about celebrating childhood.
7 Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
Paramount Pictures
The classic teen comedy movie about a high school kid who fakes an illness to skive off school. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is a classic feel-good movie that still holds up today, and we still love watching him fake phone calls and persuade his best friend to borrow his father’s Ferrari. Any kid who would try to pull this off would have another thing coming, so instead we love to sit and vicariously watch Ferris do it. As we follow Ferris on his journey around Chicago, occasionally breaking the fourth wall to tell us his thoughts, we feel a warming sensation in our hearts; the more familiar this movie becomes, the more we feel like we’re part of the adventure. It is definitely a movie to turn to for a smile and a laugh on a bad day, with fabulous ’80s vibes.
6 Stand By Me (1986)
Who doesn’t love a coming-of-age story? It’s something that makes the best kind of feel-good movie, taking us back to our childhoods (because nostalgia is intrinsically linked with the ‘feel-good’ concept). 1986’s Stand By Me has to be one of the best, as well as one of the best Stephen King adaptations, per Den of Geek. When four boys stumble across the dead body of a missing boy, they are immediately connected; as we watch them bump into many obstacles along the way of their story, we can’t help but become invested in each character.
They begin to learn more about each other and their different upbringings and from a bond of friendship and an adventure to remember for the rest of their lives. With lovable characters, great direction, and a brilliant soundtrack, it is so easy to get sucked in to the comforting atmosphere that this movie brings and the emotional journey of self-discovery that the characters embark on.
5 Dirty Dancing (1987)
Vestron Pictures
Dirty Dancing brings to life a summer vacation romance, as Baby (Jennifer Grey) vacations at a Catskills resort with her family. While there, she meets dance instructor Johnny (Patrick Swayze), and the two strike up a secret romance where their class differences threaten to keep them apart. The two leads are excellent, capturing the thrill of romance with fun dancing that makes ScreenRant consider it to be the best dance movie ever. The movie is filled with great songs, including the final “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life,” with the famous lift, and is a definite feel-good movie.
4 Back to the Future (1985)
Back to the Future is one of the biggest and most well-known movies of the ’80s, and the name Marty McFly brings a wonderful sense of nostalgia. This movie has become one of the most classic feel-good movies, following teenager Marty, who is accidentally sent back to 1955 in a time-traveling car, created by his crazy scientist friend, Emmett “Doc” Brown.
In the past, Marty unintentionally prevents his parents from falling in love, and when he realizes that he won’t exist in the future, he’s in a race against time to un-do the damage and get back to the future. This all-time 80s classic is a fun, exciting and wild adventure with amazing comedy, as we get to explore the dangers and wonders of time travel. Although, we shouldn’t be attempting to turn our cars into bonkers time-traveling machines.
3 E.T. (1982)
E.T. has to be one of Steven Spielberg’s greatest creations. We all know what comes to mind - that amazing cinematography as Elliot and E.T travel across the sky. In a feel-good, emotional family movie, we follow Elliot as he befriends the most adorable friendly alien, and tries to get him home safe. It brings childlike, giddy butterflies to the surface as we cuddle up and watch the budding friendship and astonishing connection develop between boy and alien. On an adventure of love, friendship, and family, E.T. makes us laugh, cry (a lot) and re-watch it again and again. Although we know that Elliot must return E.T. home, there’s still a small part of us that wants him to keep him.
2 The Goonies (1985)
Warner Bros. Pictures
A great feel-good movie with the best soundtrack and ’80s vibes is The Goonies. In one of the best coming-of-age movies of the ’80s, we follow two brothers who are getting ready to lose their house, but are desperate to find a way to save it. When they find a treasure map that could lead to a big pirate ship full of treasure, they grab their friends and go on the adventure of their lives. Full of booby-traps and a group of baddies who are also after the treasure, they must work together to get there first. What more could anyone ever want?
A fun movie full of the craziest adventure, friendship, and even a dash of teenage romance, this film always feels like every kid’s dream. Even for the parents, The Goonies is one of the best feel-good films and has a great sense of freedom and joy to it; with laughter and lovable, relatable characters that bring the adventure to life, you can’t go wrong with The Goonies.
1 The Princess Bride (1987)
The Princess Bride is a beloved fantasy that tells the story of farmhand Westley (Cary Elwes), who must rescue his true love, Buttercup (Robin Wright), after she is kidnapped by a prince. Joining this journey are the giant Fezzik (Andre the Giant) and Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin), a sword master seeking revenge on the man who killed his father. Their stories intertwine in clever and hilarious ways, all the way up until the happy ending. Filled with humor, adventure, and romance, it has something for all audiences and is capable of making just about anyone feel good.
